Another C&R firearm for today. This is a Ballester-Rigaud 45 ACP pistol manufactured in Argentina. Argentina bought around 10,000 1911s from Colt between 1914 and 1915 and called them the Modello 1916. In 1927 Argentina bought another 10,000 pistols from Colt and these 1911A1s were named Modello 1927. Later on Argentina started manufacturing their own 1911A1 under license from Colt. The parts on all of these guns are interchangeable with true Colt 1911 and 1911A1. In 1938 a private company named “Hispano Argentina Fabrica de Automoviles Sociedad Annima or Spanish-Argentine Automobile Factory Inc. or HAFDASA started manufacturing a gun designed to be less expensive. These guns differ considerable from the Colts. Even though they look a lot like a Colt they are more like a Spanish Star. The only parts interchangeable with a colt without modification is the magazine, barrel, recoil spring and barrel bushing. From 1938 to around 1940 they were called Ballester-Rigaud and after 1940 the name was changed to Ballester-Molina. As you can probably see two differences from the Colt is the Spanish pistol has no grip safety and the trigger pivots at the top rather than coming straight back. Some of the slide markings are :
• Ejercito Argentino (Argentine Army)
• Policia Maritima (Coast Guard)
• Armada Argentina (Navy)
• Republica Argentina Armada Nacional (Navy)
• Aeronautica Argentina (Air Force)
Mine is marked Gendarmeria Nacional which indicates Border Guards or Intelligence Service.